Time Froze
by DancingWithPeacocks
Summary: AU: DT/WF- “That man that was chasing me? His name is Merrick and he is my brother. And he tried to kill me… three thousand years ago.” Kira finds out her brother is alive.
1. Part 1

Title: Time Froze

Author: Solarbaby

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Summary: "That man that was chasing me? His name is Merrick and he is my brother. And he tried to kill me… three thousand years ago." Kira finds out her brother is alive.

Words: 4328

Spoilers: None really.

Notes: This is a major AU. In this universe Wild Force takes place after Dino Thunder. And remember… just cause they're dead now, doesn't mean it'll stay that way.

This is part of my new 'My Sibling' Series.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Part 1

Kira still wasn't sure that this was a good idea. She would have much rather been sitting in her bedroom at Hayley's than out here. But people didn't say no to Cassidy Cornell. Not without being steamrolled. She shot her friend a dark look that was returned with a cheerful grin.

"Come on, Kira. It won't be that bad." Cassidy was practically skipping. She was ecstatic about being out in the sunshine, after having nothing but rain for three straight days.

"I'm going to get muddy." Kira eyed the carnival with some distaste. Mud covered everything from booths to rides to some of the patrons. "Remind me why we had to come all the way to Turtle Cove again."

Cassidy sent her friend a look of annoyance. "You're just desperate to not have fun, aren't you?" She gave a sigh. Cassidy kept trying to help, but every attempt had been rebuffed. It almost seemed as though Kira was trying to be depressed. "Come on." Kira found herself being dragged into the crowds. "Devon's waiting for us by the funnel cake booth."

That caught Kira's attention. "Funnel cake…?"

oOoOoOoOo

Kira gave a slight smile as Devon handed her the treat. "Thanks."

"Not a problem. It's just nice to see such a positive reaction out of you." He replied, as she gave a sheepish grin.

The three were sitting down on one of the grouped tables. A pink tint was cased over the area, due to the setting sun. Kira had to admit that she was enjoying herself. Devon had talked her into riding the tilt-a-whirl and Cassidy had managed to get her on the Farris Wheel. She shoved a piece of the sugary treat into her mouth and offered some to the others. Cassidy tore herself off a chunk while Devon just shook his head. He had downed two hot dogs and more than his fair share of cotton candy earlier.

"I guess that I have been a little moody." Kira answered.

"A little moody? Kira, last time Hayley asked you if you were okay, you almost took her head off." Cassidy reminded her.

"I apologized." She defended.

"I know you did, but it's been over a year now. They wouldn't have wanted you to mourn like this. They would have wanted you to be happy."

"I know and I'm trying, I really, really am." Kira sighed and toyed with the almost empty paper plate. "You know, I have never been to a carnival before?"

"Never?" Cassidy's voice was incredulous.

"Not once." Kira replied as she polished the funnel cake off. "So who wants another? My treat."

The two shook their heads and wondered at the amount of food the girl was able to put away. At the rate they had seen her eat, they were surprised she didn't weigh three hundred pounds. Kira just grinned and muttered, "Your loss," as she headed to the booth. There wasn't a line, only one person waiting for their food to finish. She caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye and did a double take. At first she thought her eyes were deceiving her, because it couldn't be, right? There was no way that fate could be so cruel. The man was tall and had on a blue jacket that looked far too warm for the actual weather. She shook her head and looked away, her eyes had to be playing tricks on her.

The man working the booth called to the man in the jacket, "Hey, dude. Your funnel cake is ready." Kira kept her eyes trained on the booth's menu. "Thanks." She froze as the voice sent cold chills down her spine. Kira recognized the voice immediately and all her fears had been confirmed. She saw money exchange hands from the corner of her eyes. Taking a deep breath Kira turned to the man. At that moment the man turned to leave and saw her. His face went pale and he dropped the plate. His voice shook, "Kira."

"Merrick." Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

In that moment time froze.

Then she promptly turned and ran.

oOoOoOoOo

"Oh god, oh god, ohgod, ohgodohgodohgod." Kira fell down on to a bench and stuck her head between her legs, taking deep breaths, trying to keep herself from hyperventilating. Tears filled her eyes. There was no way. It just wasn't possible. But it was. She had seen it with her own two eyes. Even three thousand years later her big brother still looked the same.

Merrick.

Merrick was still alive.

"Oh god." She choked out.

"Kira?"

She turned toward the voice.

Cassidy took one look at her friend's tear-streaked face and rushed to her side. "What's wrong?"

"I need to go." Kira stood up with a shaky breath. She felt a hand on her should and looked to see Devon standing behind her. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I have to go."

Devon didn't so much as blink. "Alright then, let's go."

Kira gave a shaky grin.

"Kira!"

The grin abruptly vanished. Kira grabbed the two's arms and drug them behind a game booth. She peeked around the side in time to see her brother pass, heading a group.

"Kira! What is going on?!" Cassidy managed to keep her voice down, even though she wasn't sure why. All she knew was that Kira hadn't come back from the funnel cake booth and they found her on the other side of the carnival, in tears. And to top it off, it seemed as though she was being chased by a strange group of people.

"Come on." Kira gave a jerk to their arms. "We have to leave." She began to drag them toward the exit.

"Kira. Kira. Kira!" Devon yanked his arm away. "What's going on? Who were they?" When had Kira ever run away from anything?

Kira sighed, letting go of Cassidy's arm. She ran her hand's though her hair. "That man that was calling my name? The one in the blue jacket? Well… he's my brother."

"You have a brother?" Was Devon's question. Cassidy had apparently been stunned into silence.

Kira nodded. "I haven't seen him in a long time. I thought that he was dead."

"You thought that he was dead?" Cassidy frowned, trying to suppress her reporter instincts to pelt her friend with questions. A hand landed on her shoulder again and she turned to see Devon shaking his head at her. She took a good look at Kira and saw the tired eyes and haggard expression. "Alright. Let's get out of here."

The grateful look on Kira' s face squished any questions that Cassidy had.

For now.

oOoOoOoOo

Merrick returned to the Animarium in a broken state. It was disturbing to say in the least. The other rangers had never seen the usually composed man like this before. That's why the five went to the only person they thought cold answer their burning questions.

Princess Shayla.

Cole was the one who approached her. The others stood back, unsure. "Princess?"

"Cole!" Princess Shayla smiled at the man. "You're back!"

Cole sighed. "Something's wrong. Merrick…"

"Is Merrick alright?" She moved to stand beside him, frowning.

"That's what I'm not sure about." Cole replied. "Princess, who's Kira?"

Princess Shayla paled. "Where did you hear that name?" She demanded, a pained look was on her face. That was a name that she never thought she would hear again.

"There was this girl at the carnival and…"

Princess Shayla was gone before he could finish.

oOoOoOoOo

"Merrick?"

Merrick barely lifted his head to give Princess Shayla a blank look before returning to his examination of the ground.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Princess." His voice was dark and brooding. Princess Shayla could only guess what was going through her protector's head.

"Cole told me that you said Kira's name."

Merrick looked at her, a grim expression on his face. "I saw her. I saw Kira."

Shayla shook her head and sat down on the rock beside him. "Merrick, that's not possible."

His reaction was negative as a glacial look entered his eyes. "I'd recognize her anywhere. It was her." Merrick sighed and rubbed his face. "I just saw my sister for the first time in three thousand years."

"That's just not possible and you know it. She was taken by the Master Org." She remembered that day clearly. Kira had been captured months before the final battle. They had tried many rescue attempts. But it had been three thousand years. After all that time, they never had a reason to believe she was anything other than dead.

"She said my name. She looked straight at me and said my name." Merrick saw realization enter the Princess' eyes. He felt tears begin to well up in his own and forced them away. "Then she turned and ran away."

"Oh, Merrick…"

"She's alive. My baby sister's alive."

Shayla smiled as true joy filled her heart. Kira wasn't dead! But there was also confusion. "But that's great news! Why are you so upset?"

"She ran from me, Princess. She hates me." Merrick explained. "And why wouldn't she. I just left her there. Who knows what she's gone through? How is she even still alive?"

She shook her head. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you, Merrick. She was probably just surprised. You have to think, she probably thought that you were dead as well. She wasn't there when you went after the wolf mask."

Merrick was quiet, deep in thought. Shayla was ecstatic to find color returning to his face. "You really think so?" He whispered.

Princess Shayla grinned and pulled him to his feet. "I'm sure of it." She reassured him. "Now there is only one thing to do."

"What's that?"

"Find Kira, of course."

Princess Shayla pranced off, leaving a still shaken, but clearly happy Merrick behind.

oOoOoOoOo

"Merrick… No, don't want to go… Dangerous… Careful…"

Hayley looked over at the girl, worried. From her spot at the desk, she could see the way that Kira tossed and turned on the cot. Shaking her head, she turned back to the paperwork on her desk. Hayley had closed down the Cyberspace for the day for inventory, so there was no danger of getting interrupted. Originally, the plan was for Kira to help her but after the way she looked when she came in the previous night Hayley wasn't about to deprive her of a good night's sleep.

"Be waiting…Love you, too… See you…"

Even a fitful sleep was better than nothing, right?

oOoOoOoOo

"So, that girl is his sister?"

The group was looking intently at the image that the sacred waters were showing them. A girl, no more than fifteen, with long brown hair wearing a white shirt and trousers.

Shayla nodded at Alyssa's innocent question. "She is."

"Then why did he look as though he had seen a ghost?" Danny asked, sending a concerned glance at the man in question, who was staring off into space.

"Because he did, in a matter of speaking. Kira was captured by the Orgs nearly three thousand years ago." Was the reply.

"What happened?" The direct question could have only come from Taylor.

"It was a few months before the battle with Master Org. There was a fight. Merrick had sent Kira off during the attack, with a promise to meet her later. She wasn't there when he arrived. Later, we learned that she was captured by Master Org. We tried to rescue her, repeatedly. But then after Merrick defeated Master Org, he was taken over by the mask. And the rest of the story, you know. We didn't know what had become of Kira. Apparently, she survived." Shayla explained with a far off look in her eyes. Pain filled her body as she remembered. They had just given up on Kira. "Since Merrick ran into her again. I've tried to use the sacred waters to scry for her but something has been blocking me."

"What could have the power to do that?" Taylor asked.

Shayla shook her head. "Nothing that I know of."

The implications had grim looks on the faces of the group. Cole was the next to speak. "So now what?"

"I don't know."

oOoOoOoOo

"Merrick… What… No… Don't…"

Kira let out a cry that echoed through the Cyberspace. Hayley shot up from her spot behind the counter. She left her work in the floor and flew into the back room. Kira was whimpering on the cot, clutching her stomach.

"Why?" Tears streamed down her face as she cried out in her sleep. "Merrick… Why…"

"Kira." Hayley approached the girl, hesitantly. She placed her hand on the girl's shoulder and gave it a slight shake. Kira only let out another cry. "Kira." Her voice was more firm now and she gave a harder shake.

Kira's eyes snapped open and she shot up, accidently slamming her head into Hayley's chin.

"Ow." Hayley rubbed her chin, watching as Kira looked frantically around the room. Relaxing only slightly when she realizes where she was. "Hayley?" Her voice was quiet, unsure.

Hayley froze. There was a tone to her voice that Hayley hadn't heard for months. "Kira…" She sat down beside the girl.

"Oh, god." Kira took a couple of deep breaths before finally breaking down into tears again.

Hayley just held the girl as she cried. When the tears finally subsided, Hayley spoke. "Kira, what happened?"

Kira just shook her head. "It's nothing." She wiped the tears from her face.

"It's not nothing." Hayley replied. "Cassidy and Devon both said you freaked out yesterday. There was some guy chasing you..?" She trailed off. "If anything's wrong Kira, you can tell me."

"No, I can't." Kira continued to shake her head. "You wouldn't understand."

"After everything that has happened, I think I could at least try." Hayley said. Kira seemed to process that for a moment before once again shaking her head. "Telling me couldn't hurt." She paused to watch Kira's face become conflicted. "Please?"

Kira sighed. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

"And you won't freak out on me?"

"I promise."

"And you won't interrupt me? You'll let me finish?"

"Of course, Kira." She reassured her, but Kira's face still held the hesitant look. "What's going on? I want to help."

"Alright, just remember you promised not to interrupt"

Hayley nodded.

"That man that was following me? His name's Merrick and he's my brother. And three thousand years ago, my brother tried to kill me…"

oOoOoOoOo

"Guys!"

Cole, Alyssa, Danny and Max look to find Taylor racing toward them. She was carrying a video camera in her hand and grinning smugly. She joined the group at the table.

"What do you have?" Max asked looking over the table at the camera.

"Well, Merrick's sister? I thought that she looked familiar. But I couldn't place where I had seen her." Taylor replied, holding up the camera. "Then it hit me. About a year ago, some friends drug me to see this singer in Reefside. And well… watch." She opened the view screen on the camera and pressed play.

The others crowded around Taylor, trying to get a good look at the screen. Music began to play and a figure dressed in yellow appeared on the screen.

Danny's jaw dropped. "But that's…"

Taylor finished for him. "Merrick's sister, Kira. I looked her up the moment that I remembered seeing her. Her name's Kira Ford. She lives in Reefside."

Cole jumped from his seat, grinning. "We need to tell Merrick and Princess Shayla. This is great!"

oOoOoOoOo

"Kira, what--."

"You promised not to interrupt." Kira cut her off. "Now where was I? Oh, yeah. Three thousand years ago my brother tried to kill me. Back then my name was Kira Baliton. My brother and I lived on a place called Animaria. His job there was as protector to Princess Shayla." She unconsciously pulled a necklace from underneath her shirt and fiddled with the two rings that hung there. "But, we were at war with fierce creatures called orgs. And they were winning. There was a battle and Merrick sent me away. I thought it was to protect me." A pained look crossed her face. "We were to meet up again later. So I waited for him. It was two, maybe three, hours later that he showed up. I noticed that he was acting a little strange. But he had just been in battle, so I didn't think much of it. We were headed back to the village when it happened. When he attacked me." Her voice cracked. "I didn't understand. I don't understand." She gave a sigh. "Back then, I wasn't much of a fighter. Just what our cousin Gareth taught me behind Merrick's back." Kira gave a sad smile and her next words came out as only a whisper. "Merrick insisted on me not fighting." She paused and became lost in thought for a moment. "I was barely able to defend myself. I thought maybe he was possessed or something but he wasn't. So I did the only thing I could think of. I ran." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Memories flashed before her eyes. The feeling of pain and betrayal. The feel of the wind. The tears on her face. His mocking laughter echoed throughout her head. "And I ran straight into Master Org. He captured me and took me to this kind of stasis prison. I found out later that it had been the plan all along. Merrick had betrayed me to the Master Org." She gave a hollow laugh. "I didn't believe it at first. I mean I loved my brother. The sad thing is, I still do. He was my protector and my best friend." Kira shrugged. "But after a while, I realized that it must have been true."

Shock marred Hayley's face. There was a moment of quiet where only breathing and the ticking of a wall clock could be heard. "Three thousand years. That means you're…"

"Three thousand and nineteen give or take a few years." Kira finished. "Yeah, It's kind of weird to think about."

"Okay, so you're three thousand years old from a place called Animoria-."

"Animaria."

"Animaria." Hayley corrected. "And your brother betrayed you to the, orgs was it?" Kira gave a nod of confirmation. "So he betrayed you to the orgs and you were stuck in the prison for three thousand years."

Kira confirmed it all with a nod.

"I guess that's not really all that hard to believe. I mean, we've seen weirder." Hayley muttered. "But then, how did you escape?"

Kira gave a small grin. "Actually, that's where my story becomes anticlimactic. A few years ago, there was an earthquake and the barrier that held me in started to flicker. I made a break for it at my first chance."

"So what now?" Hayley asked her.

Kira shook her head. "I don't know." A pregnant pause filled the air. "I'm going to go on a walk." With that, she was gone.

oOoOoOoOo

Princess Shayla knew the moment that Kira had been found. That was how she found herself in the middle of a park in a nearby town, by herself. This could have very well been a trap, but she was almost sure that it wasn't. When she caught sight of the female sitting at a picnic table any doubts that she had was confirmed. "Hello, Kira."

"Princess Shayla?" Kira's voice echoed, shocked at seeing the woman whom had appeared. "Is it really you?"

"Yes." Shayla smiled at her.

The two looked at each other for a few moments before Kira let out a squeal and closed the last few feet between them with a hug. "I can't believe it. You're really here!"

Shayla laughed and hugged back. "And you're still alive! It's great!"

"Princess!" A series of voices called.

Kira stiffened and turned to find five people rushing at them. They struck a familiar cord within Kira but she couldn't place it. She glanced at Shayla and relaxed slightly when she realized that Shayla knew them. But the Princess's next words caused Kira to freeze up again.

"Rangers!" Shayla waved them over. "Come and meet Kira." She saw Kira go pale and take a step back.

"I don't--." Kira was cut off as the group stopped in front of her.

Princess Shayla pushed Kira in front of her. "Ranger's this is Kira." The group gave her a series of greetings. "Kira," Shayla began, "These are my friends. Cole." She motioned to the one in the red jacket with longish hair that reminded Kira vaguely of a picture she had seen of Dr. O in high school. "Danny." A black haired man with an imposing figure and a black jacket. "Max." It was a dark skinned man with a blue jacket and what could be called an infectious smile. "Taylor." One of the only two women in the group, she was a tall blonde with a yellow jacket. "And Alyssa." The last female had on a white jacket. "They are Power Rangers." Shayla giggled. "Isn't that great?"

Kira forced a grin to her face. "Perfect." She fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist.

Taylor stepped forward. "And we brought someone with us." A figure stepped out from behind the group.

There was a dead silence in the group for a few moments before a loud yell killed it.

_"You bastard!"_ Three thousand years of pent up rage was released in that moment as Kira launched herself at her brother. The surprise of the attack lasted only long enough for Kira to land a punch in the gut.

Still, that was enough for Merrick to double over in pain.

A moment later, she felt two pairs of arms wrap around her and hauled her away from him. "Cole, Danny, let go of me!" She struggled in their hold as she watched Merrick stumble to his feet.

"Kira?"

He was incredulous, as if he couldn't understand why she did it. Unfortunately, that only fueled her anger. She lashed out with a kick that only missed her brother because Danny jerked her back.

"Kira! What are you doing?" Shayla stepped in between the two, blocking Merrick from Kira's wrath.

Kira shook off the two men. "Get out of my way, Princess."

"No." She placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

That stopped Kira cold. "What's wrong? You want to know what's wrong!?" Her voice was border lining hysteria as she sent a glare at her brother. "Why don't you ask _him_?!" She violently motioned toward Merrick.

Merrick just looked perturbed and clueless as he rubbed his stomach. "I don't know what you're talking about." He took a step toward his sister only to flinch away when he saw the icy look in her eyes. "Kira, I don't understand. What's going on?"

"Don't you give me that, Merrick Baliton! You know exactly what you did!" She pushed past the princess and closed in on her brother. Merrick replied by backing away from her approach until his back hit a table. This time he was prepared for her attack and he grabbed her fist before it hit him in the face. With a single twist he had her arm pinned behind her back and his other arm was encircled around her free arm and waist, effective locking her in place. She struggled in his grasp. "Let me go!" She began to struggle more frantically and Merrick was stunned to realize that there was fear in his sister's voice.

His voice came out as a whisper that Kira barely managed to hear. "Are you afraid of me?"

The struggling ceased and her head turned to look at him. "You betrayed me! I was stuck in that stupid org prison for three thousand years because of you! And yet you stand here and act all innocent! But you know as well as I do that you aren't!"

"Kira, what are you talking about? How did I betray you?"

"You tried to kill me!"

"What?!" Merrick paled. "I didn't."

"Really? God Merrick, I have relived that night for _three thousand years_. I remember every vivid detail. Like the fact that it had rained the night before so the ground was still damp and muddy. Or like the fact that there was a full moon. How about something easier, like the pain that I felt as you sliced open my stomach with that damn moon stone dagger of yours!"

"I would never lay a hand on you." Merrick let her go and she spun around, sending him a very nasty look.

"Oh, really?" Kira lifted up her shirt to just below her ribs. A jagged scar traced itself across her stomach. "You don't remember this? How about the blood? Do you remember laughing as I ran? Because I remember it very clearly." Tears pooled in her eyes.

"Oh god, Kira." Merrick stepped forward only to have Kira flinch away from him. It killed him to realize that she was scared of him. "I didn't do it, Kira. I would never hurt you. You should know that."

"Don't lie to me!" She shouted at him. "Don't you dare lie to me!" She shot forward and shoved his chest, sending him back a couple of steps. Were stream down her face at this point. She moved to shove him again, but he grabbed her this time, holding her in his arms. Kira struggled for a moment before going limp in his arms.

Merrick lowered the two of them to the ground and continued to hold his sister as she sobbed. The two never even realized that Princess Shayla had herded the group away from the two, giving them much needed privacy. Gradually, the sobbing stopped and Kira's body was no longer shaking. He looked down and gave a sigh.

Kira was asleep.


	2. Part 2

Title: Time Froze

Author: Solarbaby

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Summary: "That man that was chasing me? His name is Merrick and he is my brother. And he tried to kill me… three thousand years ago." Kira finds out her brother is alive.

Words: 1514

Spoilers: None really.

Notes: This is a major AU. In this universe Wild Force takes place after Dino Thunder. And remember… just cause they're dead now, doesn't mean it'll stay that way. This took so long to update and I am so sorry. I knew what I wanted to write but I just couldn't get it written, which is why it's short. It's also sort of rushed, but that's mostly due to my inability to do fighting scenes. Now that I've gotten this one out of the way the updates will be quicker and, most likely, better.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Part 2

From the day Kira was born, Merrick had watched over his sister.

There had been days when Shayla would go looking for her protector, only to find him in his sister's room. It didn't matter if Kira was asleep or awake, Merrick could have easily been found there. He only seemed to be able to truly relax with her. Shayla couldn't remember how many times she had come in to find Merrick napping beside his sister. She had called him on it only once, not long after he had been appointed her protector, but gotten no reply in return.

But as time went by, she grew to know. There had been one person in Merrick's whole life that he always had. One single person that he knew in the end he could count on. And that person was his baby sister.

The two had been so close; it was hard to conceive that Kira could truly believe that her brother would ever hurt her.

So when Shayla found Kira laying asleep on a table, using Merrick's blue jacket as a pillow, and her brother sitting right beside her on a chair, it came as no surprise. She froze for a moment, wanting to say something comforting but not able to. Merrick reached up and brushed an errant piece of hair out of his sister's face. Kira shifted toward his hand and muttered his name under her breath. In that moment, Shayla knew everything would be okay.

Wolves were pack animals after all.

oOoOoOoOoOo

The first thing Kira noticed when she woke up was just how uncomfortable her cot had gotten. Granted, while it originally hadn't been the most comfortable of places to sleep it definitely had not been this hard. She rolled over and punched at the pillow. A sharp piece of metal poked into her cheek.

Blinking awake, she pulled back slightly to find its source. That was when she noticed that what she had originally had conceived to be her pillow was in fact not. She sat up and realized something. This wasn't her cot and she wasn't at Hayley's. Glancing around, her eyes landed on a figure lying on the ground.

Memories rushed back as Kira scrambled off of the table. She caught her foot on a chair and crashed to the floor. A groan caught her attention.

Merrick was waking up.

A set of bleary eyes glanced around before landing on her, still sitting on the ground. They froze on contact, blinking. Her brother scrambled to his feet as she did the same.

The two just stood there, staring at each other. Merrick stepped forward, stopping only when Kira unconsciously flinched back. "Kira?"

"Get away from me, Merrick." She scrambled back from him.

Merrick saw the tears in her eyes. "What ever happened to you that night, it wasn't me that did it. I wouldn't hurt you. You know that right?"

"I don't know what to think." Kira ran a hand through her hair, frustrated, pulling at the strands. "Just…" she sighed. "Just talk me home, will you? Back to Reefside?"

"Kira…" He tried to move closer but she just shook her head and backed up.

"I have to think about this, Merrick," her voice was soft and her eyes were pleading. "Please?"

He bit back a sigh, nodding. "Of course."

But Kira wasn't running. She wasn't taking off completely. All she was doing was asking him to take her back to Reefside. It wasn't much.

But it was a start.

Neither of them saw the two figures follow them.

oOoOoOoOoOo

The moment a slightly dazed Kira step foot inside the Cyberspace she found herself with arms full of an extremely worried Cassidy. There was some insane babbling where she could barely make out words other than 'missing' and 'worried' and 'never again'. She glanced over the blonde's shoulder to Devon hovering close behind and a pale Hayley sitting on one of the barstools.

Kira carefully extracted herself from the girl's arms, disturbed to see tears trailing down Cassidy's face. Then she felt a pair of strong arms pull her into a hug. Blinking, she realized that it was Devon. She awkwardly hugged him back.

He pulled back and grinned at her, but she saw it waver slightly.

"I'm fine, guys. Really?"

Hayley placed her hands on the girl's shoulder and stared at her, as if trying to discern if she was lying or not. Whatever she found in Kira's face seemed to appease her and she nodded, a small smile crossing her face. "Come on," she said as tugged her over to the counter. "I'll make you a smoothie and you can tell us why you scared us so badly."

"Yeah I was afraid of that."

Soon she found herself sitting at the counter, sipping on something fruity that she really couldn't name. Kira frowned into the glass, trying to decipher the flavors. Banana definitely. Maybe a little orange, possibly apple… or was that strawberry? She kept staring at the glass, increasingly aware of the stares she was getting from the others.

"Kira…"

She glanced up. Worried looks were being sent her way. It was getting uncomfortable and she shifted uncomfortably on the stool. The feeling was beginning to get stifling, making it hard to breathe. "I'll be right back." Then she was up and heading for the door.

"Wait!"

Both Devon and Cassidy were out of their seats and all three of them looked like they were ready to follow her. "I just need to step outside for a few minutes." As uncertain looks were exchanged she continued, "Really."

The fresh air did her good. She took in a deep breath and sighed, debating on how much to tell. Hayley knew about her and her brother but Cassidy and Devon didn't. The last thing she wanted was to lose her last few friends. Would keeping it from them be worth it? Could she risk it? Should she?

So lost in her own thoughts, she didn't even notice the figures until it was too late and ended up flying back from the blast.

She hit the ground and rolled. The bracelet rolled off, before coming to rest feet away. Scrambling to her feet, Kira made a move for it, only to be grabbed by Jindrax and pulled back. It only to a well placed kick to get him to loosen his grip and her fingers just brushed the yellow jewel before a she was yanked back by her hair.

A whimper escaped her as she came face to face with Toxica, one of the faces that was a constant presence in her nightmares.

"You won't escape us this time, little girl," she hissed. "And this time we're going to get that brother of yours too." Toxica smirked. "Congratulations, you just been upgraded from prisoner to bait."

There wasn't even a chance to scream this time before they were disappeared.

oOoOoOoOoOo

The sacred waters bubbled and spurted angrily, almost as if they took personal offense about what was happening.

Princess Shayla jogged over to the water before gasping at what is showed inside.

"Kira. They have Kira."

She flinched at the blank look clearly shown on the girl's face.

"Merrick! Merrick!"

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Rangers, come out and play… We have something of yours."

Numbness filled her. It over-rode everything else, the fear, the panic, the desire to fight back. She withdrew into the shell that she had been while locked in the org prison. It was a self-preservation instinct.

"Give me back my sister."

She was barely aware of the voice, much less of anything else. There was a battle around her, she noticed. Toxica gave her a shove, sending her sprawling to the ground. Immediately, she shot up and scrambled back, wanting to get as far from the orgs as she could.

How was it that she hadn't even been around her brother for a day and she had already fallen back into the damsel in distress routine? She slowed to a stop and took a deep breath, hands shaking. There was no way she could tell how long she had been standing there like that. But she couldn't seem to get her feet moving, stuck there.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention and she spun around, afraid that she would find Toxica and Jindrax standing there. Relief filled her as she found the rangers standing there, one dressed in silver and blue at their head.

"Kira?" The voice was barely muffled through the helmet. She recognized it immediately. It was confirmed when the ranger stepped forward, the helmet disappearing. Her brother stared back at her. His concerned look changed to startled as she shot forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"Merrick," she buried her face in his shoulder, arms wrapped so tightly around him that he was afraid his ribs were going to crack.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her even closer.

Merrick was going to protect his sister; he wouldn't let anything happen to her again.

He wasn't going to fail her this time.


End file.
